Focus on What You Can Control

Updated: Apr 16

What's your new normal?

Happy Monday!

When will it end? When will I see my friends? When will I be able to sit in a restaurant? When will it no longer be necessary to wear gloves in the grocery store? When will everyone start smiling at each other again? When will everything go back to ‘normal’? Is this the ‘new normal’? These are questions I often find myself asking.

As most of us are heading into week 4 of quarantine – we’ve begun to get into the rhythm of our 'new' norm. We’ve established a new routine. We’ve set up our home offices. We’ve organized every closet in our house. We’ve built every puzzle and read every book. And we’ve made it ‘work’ as much as we can. As humans we adjust to the situations we are put in – this is not something that will happen overnight or in a week's time... but we will adapt because we have to.
Anyone else feeling a little out of control during this situation? For myself adjusting to this situation has been far from easy –
Although it is hard to accept that this is the ‘normal’ right now – I encourage you to create a new normal for yourself. Focus on what you can control and things that you can do.

What might that be? I have been focusing on:
My Mindset: As hard as it is, I have been trying my best to stay away from listening or watching the news – at most I will expose myself to it for 5-10 mins a day to stay updated. I have been focusing on listening to more pdcasts and music and other content to keep me feeling positive and happy throughout the day. My favs are The Goal Digger Podcast by Jenna Kutcher and Girls Gotta Eat Podcast by Ashley Hesseltine and Rayna Greenberg.

My Environment: Whether you’re at home or in the office, keeping your environment the way, you prefer it is very important. If you’re working from home make sure you set an alarm, get ready for the day, schedule your day and set up your workspace – transitioning from working in an office to working at home can be tough. I am very lucky to still be working in the office – although things have changed and continue to change; I try my best to stay positive, follow a schedule and communicate with employees when I can (6ft apart of course) these simple adjustments have made a big difference in my mood.
My Physical Health: Now, let’s be honest here. The only positive to quarantine is that there is plenty of time to work out. Sure, this doesn’t necessarily mean I'm going to work out twice a day or eat 100% clean (especially because the Easter bunny is coming this weekend) – that is not realistic but finding a balance does benefit both your mental and physical health.

My Happiness: One thing that you can control is your happiness. Have you ever thought to yourself "what makes me happy?" Whether it's hot coffee in the morning, the sun shining, going for a run, laughing with friends and/or work - the more we focus on what makes us happy, the easier it is to find joy in our day.

Continue to Connect: With the world at our fingertips and countless apps to stay connected with friends and family – nothing is the same as sitting around a table with a glass of wine in hand, sharing stories with your best friends. Who knew that something that seemed so normal could be missed so much? I suggest that you find what works best for you. The most popular ways to stay connected right now are texting, calling, FaceTime, Zoom, and House Party.